Use of devices for automatically dispensing medication is becoming increasingly popular. These devices enable the patient and unskilled caregivers to administer complex medication regimes providing patients with greater independence. One known type of dispenser is the MD.2 pill dispenser (http://www.epill.com/md2.html). This device allows family members to serve as caregivers by programming the dispenser, refilling its contents and having data about medication taken transmitted to the caregiver's computer. The patient's medication management can also be constantly monitored in real time using an Internet connection, for example. Alternatively, the device can be set up to issue a phone call to up to five designated family members or caregivers if the patient fails to take their pills within, say, 90 minutes of the assigned time.
The MD.2 pill dispenser dispenses medication in re-usable sealable cups. Each cup is preloaded with a required dosage of medication to be taken at any one time. The cups are then dispensed at predetermined time intervals. The dispenser holds 60 medication cups, dispensing up to 6 cups per day. It has the capacity to store 3-4 weeks of medications for most patients.
If refills are needed, alerts and/or phone calls can be made to the caregiver. The dispenser includes a user interface to provide the patient with alerts to remind them to take their medication and provide a reminder of any instructions such as “take with food”. It can also provide an early dose feature in which a patient can take their medication early within the constraints of their dosage regimes. Such a system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,997. Although U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,997 allow changes to the existing dosage regimes, it does not provide complementing existing medication to be taken with a “take-as-needed” medication.